


Strange Bedfellows

by alchemise



Category: The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Gen, Implied Matt/Elektra, Snark, Team Up, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:29:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28209099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alchemise/pseuds/alchemise
Summary: A private detective, a ninja, and a dead woman walk into a bar… or something like that.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 18
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Strange Bedfellows

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilacsigil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacsigil/gifts).



“What the fuck are you doing here?”

Of all the people Jessica expected to run into, during this late-night rendezvous at an abandoned construction site, Danny’s friend Colleen was somewhere near the bottom of the list. She hadn’t even spoken to the other woman since Midland Circle, and, if Jessica was being honest, she couldn’t remember if she’d spoken to her then either.

Colleen eyed her, looking wary. Jessica didn’t blame her. “I got a note. It said a friend was in danger and to come here alone.”

“Yeah, me too. Shit. This can’t be good.” Jessica looked around, wondering who had lured them there. It was beginning to look like a particularly obvious and dumb trap they’d walked right into, though why someone would target just her and Colleen was a mystery. Jessica was beginning to think she was turning into some kind of sucker.

Suddenly, Elektra stood before them, appearing out of nowhere. Jessica reacted as only she could and lunged.

Elektra blocked Jessica’s punch, with seeming ease, while stepping aside and shoving Jessica a few steps away. Jessica hated fighting ninjas.

Elektra looked unsurprised by the attack. “I am not your enemy, Ms. Jones. I am no longer the Black Sky, after all.”

Unmoved from where she stood before, Colleen held her katana in a defensive position, looking yet more wary. Jessica was kind of hoping she’d join in, since ninja versus ninja seemed better odds. Even Jessica had to admit that either of the two women were a bigger threat than Jessica herself ever would be. Colleen addressed the woman—if she even was a person any longer—who had apparently died at Midland Circle, “Then who, or what, are you?” 

“I am Elektra Natchios. Once again.” Elektra paused for a moment. Jessica thought she saw some emotion cross the woman’s face but couldn’t identify it. She was as good at hiding her feelings as she was at kicking everyone’s ass and moving sneakily. Elektra continued, with clearly regained composure, “Matthew requires my help, and I require yours. Getting him back alive is all that matters.”

Jessica thought it figured, of course Murdock would be the reason behind whatever this was. He was just enough of a pain in the ass to drag her into some bullshit mess he’d gotten himself into. And he was very good at getting himself into messes, even after returning from the dead himself.

Colleen looked unconvinced. “Why should we help you? It’s not like you were an ally before. To any of us or Daredevil.”

Appearing unperturbed, Elektra said the magic words, “The Hand is my enemy as it is yours.”

Not wanting to hear whatever was coming next, Jessica tried to decide whether to charge again and settled on a verbal attack. “The Hand is gone. We cut it the fuck off, remember? When an entire building fell on you?” Without saying it, Jessica just hoped she was right and that none of those bastards had survived. She really didn’t want to deal with them again and all the pain they’d caused.

Elektra responded calmly, but Jessica thought she saw a spark of anger in the woman’s eyes. “The fingers of the Hand may have run the organization, but they were not all of it. The Hand was ancient and greater than the five of them, and even with them dead, it still continues. It is yet a threat.”

Jessica thought about freaking the fuck out over this news, but instead she rolled her eyes. Like hell she’d show fear to Elektra. “So what, it’s just the Palm now?”

Elektra cocked her head to one side. “Yes, that is a fair analogy.” Jessica scoffed, but Elektra just kept going. “And more accurate than you know. Without fingers, the Hand lacks a leader. Right now, many vie for that position, and their internal struggles have become increasingly bloody, external ones. Some among them… seek me for the position. Out of a sense of tradition, I suppose. Or a need to follow a strength they themselves lack. That is why they’ve taken Matthew.”

It all made a horrifying kind of sense and fit with what Jessica knew of the Hand. “You’re saying this fingerless Hand has kidnapped our friend, acquaintance, whatever, so you’ll step in and take charge of them? And you need our help to rescue him?”

Elektra nodded. “Yes, that is correct. Are you in or not?” Apparently, they were done with the bullshitting preamble. Not that Jessica took Elektra as one to bullshit.

Jessica had to admit she was worried about Murdock, even if she wouldn’t say so out loud, but one thing had bugged her since they first showed up there, following Elektra’s invitations. “Why us? Why just me and Colleen?”

Elektra looked between them. “She was trained to be one of the Hand. You have abilities that may prove advantageous. This is about pragmatism.” Then Jessica saw the tiniest sneer on Elektra’s lips, just a bit playful, and wondered what the woman had been like before she’d originally died and been reborn. Elektra added, “Why, do you think the three of us are not strong enough to rescue one man?”

Jessica rolled her eyes with exaggeration. Attacking her pride wasn’t going to get her to go along. So she looked to Colleen instead. Colleen nodded at Elektra in agreement. Jessica realized that the other woman hadn’t objected to anything once Elektra mentioned the Hand. In fact, she hadn’t said anything at all. Those words were all Colleen needed to be on board. Jessica figured those old wounds must run deep.

Feigning reluctance (it’s not like she’d actually leave Murdock to rot in the hands of the Hand, a joke she knew she’d save for the perfect moment, like when they had him back safe and sound), Jessica said, “Fine. We’ll save your soulmate’s sorry ass.”

Elektra narrowed her eyes at that but said nothing. Jessica supposed that was that, and they were a team now. It was probably as close to a handshake as the three of them could stomach.

Jessica nodded in a vaguely home direction. “Let’s go back to my office, and you can fill us in. I’m going to need a drink before we wade into this shit again.” It was time to get to work.

Jessica decided that, when this was over, Murdock definitely owed them all one. Or several. At the bar of Jessica’s choosing.


End file.
